CMMG Aims for Accuracy with Heavy Taper Barrels

CMMG is shooting for accuracy, outfitting its Mk4 rifles with heavy taper barrels.

When it comes to designing a highly accurate AR-style rifle, there are many ways to skin a cat.

The addition of a match-grade trigger or a low-mass operating system are a couple of ways to ensure bullets land where a shooter is aiming. While these options are popular, CMMG has gone another direction in helping a line of its rifles drive tacks.

The Missouri manufacturer has focused on the barrel in an effort to step up its rifles’ accuracy. And while reviews are still coming in, the heavy taper barrels of CMMG’s new Mk4 HT series looks like they will score a bull’s eye with precision shooters.

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Heavier barrels have a number of advantages when it comes to accuracy, but their primary asset is the ability to absorb heat. The added material means the barrel takes longer to heat up, thus keeping it more rigid and groups tighter. This facet of heavy barrels is especially advantageous for individuals who need to shoot several rounds in succession.

CMMG is offering its new series in three calibers – .22 Long Rifle, .223/5.56mm and 300 BLK. The .22LR comes with nitride 4140 chrome-moly steel barrel, while the other two calibers come with the choice of either stainless steel or 4140 chrome-moly steel.

The barrels, for all calibers, are 16.1-inches long, giving the 7-pound rifle an overall length of 31 inches with the stock collapsed. The 5.56mm and 300 BLK each have 1:7 twist rates, while the .22 has a 1:16 twist.

The company has aimed to make its new series as versatile as its other rifles, outfitting it with RKM11 KeyMod hand guard and Picatinny rail. The Picatinny rail runs on the top, while the KeyMod slots are at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions.

Accessories that are not yet compatible with the KeyMod system won’t be left out in the cold. CMMG sells a five-slot Picatinny adapter rails separately that can easily attach to any of the KeyMod slots.

The Mk4 HT series comes equipped with an A2 pistol grip and a mil-spec M4 butt stock. The series is suppressor-ready and has a castellated thread protector attached to the muzzle to shield the threads from unwanted debris.

The rifles utilizes CMMG’s single stage mil-spec style trigger with a crisp break thanks to polished surfaces. The company also includes a 30-round Magpul PMAG with every 5.56 and 300 Blackout rifle. The .22 Long Rifle versions come with a 25-round magazine.

CMMG’s Mk4 HT series are moderately priced. The .22 version has a MSRP of $924.95. The 5.56mm and .300 BLK have a MSRP of $1,049.95 for stainless steel barrel models and $1,099.95 for nitrated models.

Elwood Shelton is an online content developer for Gun Digest. He is a gun owner and avid reloader from Colorado. When not at his press or the range he can be found chasing mule deer around the Rocky Mountains.